Arizona Commerce Authority to Host Americas Competitiveness Exchange

PHOENIX, AZ (April 7, 2016) — More than 50 high-level officials from 24 countries will come together to participate in the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, hosted by the Arizona Commerce Authority April 10 – 13, 2016. Attendees represent a mix of industry, innovation, university and government organizations.

ACE is a best practices-focused program that brings together business leaders and policy makers from around the world to explore regional partnerships and economic development opportunities. The program is organized as a partnership between the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of State, and the Organization of American States.

“Arizona is a place of unmatched diversity, opportunity, innovation, and a thriving entrepreneurial spirit – and the ACE program will allow business and policy leaders from around the globe to experience that firsthand,” said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. “I look forward to welcoming the ACE delegation to our state, and to showcasing all of the assets that make Arizona a premier location to work and do business."

The delegation will visit advanced technology centers, incubators, technology parks, university campuses, federal laboratories, and public-private partnership ventures throughout Arizona. The itinerary features sites that target biosciences, manufacturing, water, energy, aerospace and defense and information and communication technology clusters. The tour will include a diversity of stops throughout Arizona, from the major metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Tucson to the towns of Oracle, Gila Bend and Yuma.

“Increased cross-border trade and collaboration are key to Arizona’s competitiveness in the global market,” said Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority President & CEO. “ACE will provide an excellent platform for showcasing Arizona’s assets and value proposition to decision makers from around the world.”

“For the past two years, ACE has been an important vehicle in advancing commerce and trade between participating economies, accelerating business opportunities, and promoting collaboration between all stakeholders,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams. “We are pleased to have the ACE tour in Arizona and California to highlight the innovation happening in the southwest and we are excited to leverage Department of Commerce assets and connections to facilitate.”

ACE is a regional initiative included in the Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC) Work Plan for 2016-2018 to facilitate collaboration on the more than 200 successful experiences that OAS Member States shared in the 2012-2015 Signs of Competitiveness Americas Reports.

For more information about ACE, including a complete delegation list and itinerary for the tour, please visit http://riacnet.org/fifth-exchange.

Media Contact

Susan Marie, Arizona Commerce Authority, (602) 845-1231, [email protected]

About the Arizona Commerce Authority

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state’s leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona’s economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create – attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on Twitter at @azcommerce.